1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to functional milk products containing fiber with enhanced organoleptic properties.
2. Description of Related Art
Milk is one of the most important food products known and used by people of all ages as a beverage, to make other food products and other such food uses. Milk is a heterogeneous liquid secreted by the mammary gland and composed (for cows' milk) of approximately 87% water, 3.8% emulsified particles of fat and fatty acids, 3% casein, 5% sugar (lactose), serum proteins, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, and several vitamins.
Over the years, milk has been modified to make it more commercially acceptable for a wider variety of people with a major emphasis being on reducing the fat content of the milk to make a product such as skim milk or 1% fat milk. Such modified products are needed by different classes of consumers for different purposes and there is a large market for such modified milk. Unfortunately, modified milk does not have the overall organoleptic properties of regular or whole milk and their acceptance has not been met with great consumer satisfaction.
The need exists to enhance the consumer acceptance of milk, including defatted liquid milk, since there is a strong commercial desire to have milk serve as the base for a series of enhanced nutritional functional foods such as milk plus lactase enzyme, milk plus bacteria and milk plus fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fiber is also important in the diet and it is highly desirable to provide a functional milk product having wide consumer acceptance and nutritional fiber containing properties. In order for any fiber to be considered for use in milk, however, the resultant milk product must have acceptable and preferably enhanced organoleptic properties such as mouthfeel, creaminess and no discernable after taste.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,897 issued to Goldman shows the use of hydrolyzed guar gum as the soluble fiber source for addition to milk. The Goldman patent specifically discloses the use of enzymatically hydrolyzed guar gum at a maximum use level of about 5 grams of fiber per 8 ounces of milk (about 0.0205 weight %).
A calcium-fortified milk is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,329 to Nelson et al. containing a finely divided calcium compound and a mixture of carrageenan gum and guar gum in hydrated form as calcium suspension stabilizers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,074 to Kahn et al. shows a low fat low cholesterol milk containing a non-tropical vegetable oil, food grade gum, flavoring agent and a non-lauric emulsifier.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a functional milk product containing fiber and having commercially acceptable organoleptic properties such as mouthfeel, creaminess and with no discernable after taste.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a functional milk product containing fiber in a quantity sufficient to effect meaningful fiber concentrations in a typical 8 ounce serving size.
A further object of the invention is to a method for making a functional milk product that contains fiber and has commercially acceptable organoleptic properties and further contains vitamins and/or minerals and, if desired, additional flavorants, sweeteners, enzymes, or proteins.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.